Bamboozle Preview

Normally I cringe when a read about an upcoming music festival...waiting for the one or two bands you want to see come on, drunken youngsters, drunken oldsters (which are actually hilarious) and shitty just about everything.  Most of you have probably been to one in your life: Warped Tour, SXSW, Bonnaroo, etc.  The list goes on.

Now, I find myself going to my second festival in the last year.  The first was the Reading/Leeds Festival in the UK last August.  God bless Brand New, Sparta and Jimmy Eat World for being there because the "popular" bands in Britain at the time, Kings of Leon and the Klaxons were abysmal (see my previous post "Listen with Conviction", the part about good indie bands).  

The second will be the Bamboozle Festival in NJ this weekend.  Holy crap.  Whoever put this bill together deserves a high five.  Allow me to run down the bands I'll be checking out (w/ set times and stages!):

Saturday

4:15 - 4:45 As Tall As Lions (Bamboozle TV Studio)

4:45 - 5:15 Dr. Manhattan (The Aquarian)

7:25 - 8:00 The Bravery (Nowwhat.com)

8:45 - 9:30 Jimmy Eat World (Nowwhat.com)

Sunday

2:40 - 3:10 Circa Survive (Asbury Park)

2:45 - 3:15 The Dear Hunter (MLB)

5:00 - 5:30 The Fall of Troy (Rebel Youth Records)

5:10 - 5:45 Anthony Green (Bamboozle TV Studio)

6:15 - 6:50 Thrice (Nowwhat.com)

6:30 - 7:00 The Receiving End of Sirens (Nokia Ticket Rush)

7:30 - 8:00 Good Old War (The Aquarian)

8:40 - 9:30 Coheed and Cambria (Nowwhat.com)

9:30 - 10:30 Panic at the Disco (Asbury Park)

A quick overview:

The Bamboozle has brought together who I consider to be some of the most talented progressive rock bands out there right now:  Circa Survive, The Dear Hunter, The Fall of Troy and The Receiving End of Sirens.  Not to mention, those that side with the indie/straight rock persuasion: Dr. Manhattan, Good Old War, Jimmy Eat World and Coheed and Cambria.

There are a couple artists/bands that deserve special attention:

1. Thrice.  If you haven't heard The Alchemy Index Vol. I & II Fire & Water, do yourself a favor and download it.  The Water section of the CD (the last 6 songs) is a truly beautiful piece of song writing.  Pretty slow, partially electronic.

2. Anthony Green/Good Old War. You may know Anthony Green from Saosin (ex-lead singer), The Sound of Animals Fighting (part-time lead singer) and Circa Survive (current lead singer).  He's decided to record a solo album with the help of a couple friends in the band Good Old War (ex-Days Away, Unlikely Cowboy members).  GOW is also writing their own album.  Be sure to check those guys out.  They are writing some awesome stuff right now.

3. The Receiving End of Sirens.  Sadly, the Bamboozle show will be their last.  Tear drops. 

Now if I can only avoid the scenester army that I'm assured will be in attendance.

JMMP.